Review of Cool Boarders 2001

There are about 20 different riders, 10 pros and 10 amateurs. The pro line-up includes such champs as Todd Richards, Michele Taggart and Barrett Christy. Each of the riders have their own characteristics and expertise. The riders also have their own boards; freestyle and freeride type. Choosing the type of board is really dependent on the course. This all sounds strangely familiar. Yes, I am thinking of SSX. If I were to compare the two, Cool Boarders is a bit more advanced as far as the character models and the riders capabilities go. Read on!

Starting out, you will only have two pros and two amateurs to choose from. The rest will need to be unlocked as you progress thru the challenge events. Challenge mode is the heart of gameplay but I would suggest giving the Quick Race a try to get a feel for the game first. This can be played in single or 2 player mode. Career Mode is where the gamer wins all the rewards, which allows for progression. The challenge is to complete the requirements in each course. This gets increasingly more difficult as gameplay progresses into the more advanced levels. Sometimes the objectives have to be met in sequence, multiple times, which makes this even more taxing. I found myself cursing a bit at first but as I got better at it, I was digging it. There are some awesome tricks and combo moves to be mastered and BIG-AIR to catch for sure!! The controls are responsive and maybe a tad sensitive at times. Be patient, it just takes a bit of practice to get used to. The X button is used for jumps, the triangle is used to railslide, the O button as well as the square is used together with the analog directional stick for special combo moves. Moves are abundant and dangerously delicious.

There is plenty of variety to keep ones interest. The events include Downhill gate racing, (pushing and punching the other riders are perfectly fare in this race). There is also the Downhill checkpoint, (a race against time). The Half-pipe (this is a cool freestyle race that gives you the chance to exercise the numerous tricks like the rocket, nosegrab, shifties, and grabs). The BIG-AIR Event, (I think this is self explanatory). Last but not least the CBX Event, (this is a race against time and other riders (SSX Style). Hint: find shortcuts and navigate moving obstacles to shave some time.

The graphics are attractive and the game is quick. I would say about 60 fps quick, with no noticeable slowdown. This means when youre flying down a slope and about to hit a tree there is not much time to react. Yuck, I just had a flash of Sonny Bono in my head. Cool Boarders 2001 is full of great scenery with cliffs, ramps, and rocky surfaces. Not to mention, the feeling of powdery snow pushing aside from your snowboard, this is quite realistic.

The soundtrack rocks. I found myself jamming as I was playing. The snow sounds are extremely cool. I just turned up the surround and closed my eyes for a second, wow…feel that cool sensation of snow swooshing around my ankles and the air whistling in my ears as Im hitting BIG-AIR. Ok.. back to reality. There are also some classic character sayings like Yea…Im feeling it or you got beat by a girl. In my opinion, that last saying was a bit uncalled for. Get real, you guys know us girls are real good at bumping, grinding, and riding a pipe no matter how big or wiry it is.

OUR PLEDGE: We promise that we have fully played 'Cool Boarders 2001' before writing this review. The scores given above are our honest opinion and were not influenced in any way by the manufacturer or distributor of the game.

"To sum things up, Cool Boarders 2001 is like a sweet wet dream. There is plenty of bumping, jumping, slipping and sliding. Who could ask for more? For those of you that are serious extreme sport lovers, you will dig this game. The characters are nicely animated with humanistic appeal and gameplay is pretty damn realistic. On the flip side, the challenges can be pretty tough. If you dont master the tricks and moves it will be hard to progress. A lot of points need to be racked up in order to move on.

To be honest, I am still a SSX lover. SSX seems to be a little more relaxed and easier to maneuver. Cool Boarders 2001 is a more serious type game and a bit harder to master."

Score Breakdown:

Graphics 17/20Playability 46/50Sound 8/10Lastability 18/20

Our Recommendation:

This is a fantastic game that we think you will enjoy playing for quite some time.